Theatre reviews: Mamma Mia! | Cinderella
The touring production of Mamma Mia! currently at the Edinburgh Playhouse is buoyed by some unforgettable heart-and-soul performances, writes Joyce McMillan
Not all Christmas theatre-goers love pantomime; and there are some fine alternatives available in Edinburgh this year. The Traverse Theatre is staging the gorgeous Play, Pie and Pint hit Dancing Shoes, first seen back in March; while this week The Studio launches Snowy, its new show for tiny tots, co-produced by Capital Theatres and Scottish Theatre Producers.
The big one, though – at the 3,000 seat Playhouse – is the much-loved UK touring production of Mamma Mia!, the queen of all tribute musicals, based on the music of Abba, and brilliantly woven by writer Catherine Johnson into a story that integrates the songs so brilliantly that it seems as though they must have been written for it, rather than the other way round.
The current production has been on the road for two decades now, and the sets and costumes are familiar. Yet every new cast of performers and musicians seems to discover the story anew, as young Sophie – raised by her English single Mum Donna on the Greek island where she was conceived, 21 years ago – discovers her Mum’s diary for that magical summer, and invites her three possible dads to her upcoming wedding.
READ MORE: Theatre reviews: The Snow Queen | Baltic
Sophie’s theme song is Abba’s I Have A Dream; and soon the hits are rolling out, from Super Trouper to Money, Money, Money, as Donna’s best friends Tanya and Rosie arrive, and begin to reminisce with Donna about their shared days as a girl group. The dads are allowed the odd song too, with Luke Jasztal’s Sam charismatic reflecting on divorce in a powerful version of Knowing Me, Knowing You, and Richard Meek’s Harry delivering a poignant Our Last Summer.
As producer and co-creator Judy Craymer points out, though, most of the greatest Abba songs were written for the female voices of legendary vocalists Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad; and from Donna’s climactic performance of The Winner Takes It All, to the big set-pieces of Dancing Queen, Waterloo, and Mamma Mia itself, the women of this company – led by Jenn Griffin as Donna and Lydia Hunt as Sophie – give the songs a series of unforgettable heart-and-soul performances, spectacularly staged, lit and costumed, and supported by a tirelessly brilliant dance ensemble.
The seven piece band is terrific, if sometimes deafeningly over-amplified; and the whole show leaves its audience as thrilled, exhilarated and thoroughly entertained as if it had had its world premier last night – and as if those great Abba songs had been written this year, rather than, in many cases, a cool half century ago.
Meanwhile in Aberdeen, the city’s impressive panto team – led by top UK panto writer Alan McHugh, as writer, director and dame – rolls out a star-studded version of the Crossroads’ company’s current Cinderella, a spectacular and beautiful staging that features perhaps the loveliest transformation scene in recent UK panto, leading to a breathtaking first act finale.
The other magic ingredient of this show, though – apart from McHugh’s brilliant Aberdonian script, complete with many references to this year’s Scottish Cup win – is its richly talented cast, which features not only McHugh as Baroness McHardup, but Strictly celebrity Joe McFadden as the Prince (cue several joke dance numbers), lovely Dawn Steele as the Fairy Godmother, Julie Coombe and Helen Logan as an all-star pair of Ugly Sisters, and Danielle Jam as an outstanding Cinderella, spirited, lovely, full of personality, and a gorgeous singer and dancer.
What’s more, the whole show is brilliantly and deftly put together, with plenty of daft fun, but a brisk approach to the story that brings the curtain down after a gloriously jolly two hours and ten minutes. “Intense!” said a previously sceptical wee boy of ten or so sitting near me; and he was right, about one of the best and tightest packages of family fun in this year’s Scottish pantosphere.
Mamma Mia! is at the Playhouse, Edinburgh until 4 January, at his Majesty’s, Aberdeen, from 27 January until 7 February, and at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow, from 13-29 August. Cinderella is at His Majesty’s, Aberdeen, until 4 January.
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